Tuberculosis resulting from infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) poses a significant disease threat. Based on skin test reactivity, it is estimated that one-third of the world's population has been exposed, resulting annually in approximately nine million cases and 1.4 million deaths (2010 data) (see Raviglione, M. et al. Lancet 2012, 379, 1902-1913). The current vaccine, M. bovis BCG, yields inconsistent protection and can interfere with diagnostic skin tests. Although numerous candidate vaccines are being tested, their overall safety and efficacy has not been established. Although a number of therapeutic agents have been developed, current treatment regimens require patients to take multiple drugs over a period of months. This, combined with significant drug side effects, commonly results in patient noncompliance leading to relapses and the emergence of drug resistance;3 a high fraction of active cases involve multi-drug resistant (MDR, XDR) strains.